Hinsdale Keeps Hard Line On Hard Liquor

HINSDALE, IL – Hinsdale trustees gave the same answer Tuesday that they did a year and a half ago on hard liquor at gas stations.

It's not going to happen.

At a Village Board meeting, Joseph McGlynn, a representative of the BP gas station at 149 E. Ogden Ave., noted his company, Pride Stores, asked in early 2021 about whether it could sell hard liquor.

He said Pride still wanted to sell such products.

"I just thought I'd throw it out there to see where we are at," he said.

If the store received permission, McGlynn said, it would sell hard liquor in larger bottles, not the tiny bottles designed for quick consumption.

Village President Tom Cauley asked whether the store's request was any different from the one a year and a half ago.

"I'm not sure," McGlynn responded. "This was put on my desk this morning."

In February 2021, trustees rejected the idea when a different Pride representative showed up at a meeting.

"My preconceived notion is that generally people who are buying a fifth of Jack Daniels or hard liquor may be more risky and may be a different kind of clientele," Trustee Luke Stifflear said at the time, as opposed to "a casual person buying a bottle of wine before going home for dinner."

Stifflear remained opposed Tuesday.

"I think the community has moved a long way over the last 10 to 15 years as far as making liquor more available whether it's in restaurants or whether it's in salons," he said.

At the same time, he said he viewed hard liquor sales at gas stations as more of a detriment to the village, especially in an area with a lot of "transient traffic going through."

Cauley told McGlynn, "Nice try."

"Fair enough," McGlynn said. "I appreciate your time. Thank you."

"Can't blame a guy for trying," Cauley said.

McGlynn agreed.